Jeredb.com

I have been working on some changes online and offline that I teased earlier. Well, here they are:

1. I have moved my blog to Micro.blog. Micro and macro, all in one. I trust that me paying @Manton will help keep the platform moving. If I start using it more, the more I am willing to invest in it. I have customized my theme so it feels like home. So, there is that.
2. I have removed almost all of the social media from my life. I have been of Twitter for a long time (before they Nazis were so public), I deleted my Facebook accounts before it was cool. I deleted my Snapchat account because I didn’t need to try and keep a meaningless snap-streak going. I deleted Instagram because the endless well, while happiness inducing, was not healthy for my focus and my ability to be present. It is weird to not be on social media. And no, Micro.blog doesn’t count as social media since it is now my blogging platform (see what I did there…).
3. I have set my phone to be gray scale. It is weird, but when I do turn on the color, the screen is so vibrant. I love it, but I wouldn’t even notice how brilliant the color is without the contrast. I’m less enticed, and when I need, or want to be, it is amazing.
4. I have removed email, both work and personal, from my phone. I have removed Safari from my phone. I have removed RSS from my phone. I have added Moment and Screen time restrictions to my phone. I have adjusted my notifications to a very, very small amount, from my already very small amount of notification. Lastly, I have removed the messages app from my dock and turned off notification badges. This has made my responding to text messages much more like dealing with email, on my time.
5. I have stopped wearing my Apple Watch. I could have muted my notifications, but there is a need for a hard break. I’m not sure why, but having the Apple Watch on my wrist felt like a tether, or a weight that I had to keep dragging with me. I am back to a great mechanical watch that my wife got me for Christmas.

So, I am harder to get in touch with, yes. I am not as “social”, but I am spending more time reading, and focusing on my real relationships. No more scrolling to tap on hearts. Sure, I’m missing photos of my nieces and nephews, but I have had a real phone call with my sister. I don’t get to see all the pictures that my friends post, but I am working to spend real time with them, enjoying a meal or having a real conversation.

In a recent episode of a new podcast that I have been enjoying, Fun Fact, the two hosts, Arik and Allen were discussing using iPhone XS’s new eSIM capability to have two lines on one phone. They talked about how well the design decisions around having two phone and data lines were handled and it got me curious. Later in the same week, @MrBeefy mentioned on that he has transitioned from carrying a personal and work device to carrying a single iPhone XR with a line for his work and one for personal use. Given that I am going to travel through Europe in the near future, these two discussions brought me to the conclusion that I could move my phone number to the eSIM and then buy a SIM when I arrive in a country.

I went to the local Verizon affiliate store. It wasn't a corporate store, which was my first mistake. When I entered and told them that I wanted to activate the eSIM, and all four employees returned blank stares, I should have known that this might become a Sisyphean task.

Needless to say, after an hour, I had an activated eSIM, but I was unable to make calls or use cellular data. The solution came when offered to remove the physical SIM card. In the process of migrating my phone number to the eSIM, I was left with my phone number on each, and the two SIMs were conflicting. Popping the physical SIM out started clearing up the issue.

The designers at Apple did a remarkable job creating the appropriate user interface indicators of what SIM is being used when. I am looking forward to being able to get a local SIM when I travel. Right now I have the physical SIM in my phone, but the physical SIM is disabled. The downside to removing the physical SIM is the interface elements that show the second SIM disappear. This makes sense because I am sure that having an interface element that showed a SIM missing would cause more support issues than it would be worth.

All in all, the eSIM is a great feature, but the level of knowledge as to how to transfer lines and configure the devices leaves a lot to be desired. I look forward to not having a near microscopic chip in my phones.

Last night @estherbenoit and I dined at The Inn at Little Washington, a quirky, delicious three Michelin Star restaurant. It was amazing!